The reduction and prevention of food losses has 

 important potential for developing countries. It would 

 substantially reduce requirements for additional food 

 production in the short and medium term, and, in some 

 cases, would reduce dependence on imports. Some 

 developing countries could also increase food exports. 

 Finally, reduced losses may increase the disposable 

 income of ,the rural poor, who often spend most of their 

 income on feeding the family. 



As a major producer and exporter of food crops, the 

 United States has an array of research and development 

 groups with some expertise in postharvest activities. 

 A partial listing of these groups includes: 



— Federal government agencies, such as AID, USDA, the 

 Peace Corps, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 

 and the Overseas Private Investment Corporation. 



— Private, profit-oriented corporations such as 

 Technology Resources, Inc., FMC Corporation, Del 

 Monte International, Hunts, Archer Daniels, Ralston 

 Purina, Pillsbury, and General Mills. 



— Universities and experiment stations, including 

 land-grant or sea-grant universities, and groups 

 such as the Consortium for the Development of 

 Technology and the Midwest University Consortium 

 for International Affairs. 



-- Private sector research and development 

 organizations such as the Denver Research 

 Institute, Battelle Memorial Institute, and 

 Stanford Research Institute. 



— Trade associations such as the American soybean 

 Association and National Canners Association. 



— Professional societies and associations such as the 

 Institute of Food Technologists and the American 

 Association of Cereal Chemists. 



Private, nonprofit groups such as International 

 Appropriate Technology, Inc. , the Rockefeller and 

 Ford foundations. Catholic Relief Services, CARE, 

 and the League for International Food Education. 



Nevertheless, understanding of postharvest losses 

 remains inadequate and a development assistance 

 agencies around the world are showing increased 

 interest in generating further expertise. A dozen or 

 more members of the Consultative Group for 

 International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) have shown 

 interest in informal consultation to coordinate efforts 

 in this field. A collaborative program among three of 

 these (AID, the Canadian International Development 

 Research Centre, and the Canadian International 

 Development Agency) is stimulating research and 

 development in Asian countries. Another collaborative 

 grouping (including U.S. participation via Kansas State 



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